This thesis contributes to knowledge by describing two novel methods to calculate 3D blood velocity and flow within the heart using 3D colour Doppler images. The principal goal of both methods was to overcome the main limitation of Doppler systems which is that the Doppler effect only measures one component of the velocity (parallel to the beam direction). For that reason, measured velocity and calculated flow depend on the angle between the beam direction and the flow. The first method was developed to reconstruct 3D intracardiac velocity vector fields. This is the first time that such vector fields have been obtained from 3D colour Doppler images. The novelty of the proposal lies not only in the 3D velocity reconstruction, but also 1) a new noise model for colour Doppler images was proposed which improves the realism of simulation studies, 2) an efficient patch-wise implementation was introduced and 3) ventricle wall motion was used to enable full ventricular coverage. Based on simulations minimum acquisition requirements for accurate reconstruction were established. These requirements were: view angles over 20 degrees and noise below 10% of the Doppler maximum velocity. The method was tested on healthy volunteers and on paediatric patients and an accuracy of 15% compared to flow Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) was obtained, when acquisition and data conditions were close to the optimum range. The second method proposes an algorithm to calculate angle-independent flow rates through surfaces within the heart and vessels. Built on the Gauss’s theorem, this method enables to increase coverage beyond the Field of View (FoV) of individual colour Doppler images by combining images acquired from multiple views. The method was validated in patients with Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome. Results were compared with the current clinical gold standard measurement of flow MRI, agreeing on flow values and volumes to less than 10%. The novel methods proposed in this thesis have shown encouraging results using volunteer and patient data. I hope that the methods proposed will in the future be able to offer advanced flow measurements using echo. The ability to improve the information available from echo imaging, due to its ease of use and cost effective nature, has the potential for widespread improvements in clinical care.

Contexte : L'echodoppler carotidien (EDC) est un outil pour définir le risque cardio-vasculaire (RCV) mais peut progresser dans ses indications et dans les paramètres mesurés. Les travaux 1-2-3 étudient les correlations échographiques de l'index de volume de plaque (IVP). Les études 4-5 étudient l’apport de l’EDC dans l'évaluation du RCV des patients avec syndromes coronaires aigus (SCA). Matériels: les études N°1-2-3 ont été réalisées sur 93 patients avec EDC. Les études 4-5 ont été réalisées sur 152 patients avec SCA et EDC systématique. Les analyses sont transversales et longitudinales. Résultats : L'IVP n’est pas corrélé aux paramètres usuels de quantification de l’athérome carotidien. Il est plus sensible que le degré de sténose pour mesurer les changements de la plaque d’athérome. L'EDC chez tous les patients atteints de SCA est peu rentable. Ciblé aux patients âgés et diabétiques, il améliore ses performances. Les plaques carotidiennes 50-70 % ont une valeur pronostique significative. Conclusion : L’EDC est un outil intéressant pour aborder le RCV. Sa meilleure utilisation (quantitative et qualitative) permet de mieux appréhender le RCV. / Background: Carotid echo Doppler (EDC) is an interesting tool to define the cardio vascular risk (RCV) of patients. However its performances could be increased with creation of new parameters The studies n°1, 2 and 3 studied the correlations between the plaque volume index (IVP) and the currently used echographic parameters. Studies n° 4 and 5 studied the contribution of EDC for evaluating the RCV in patients with an acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Materials: Studies n°1,2 and 3 were performed on 93 patients with EDC. Studies n° 4 and 5 were performed on 152 patients with an SCA and EDC systematically achieved. Results: IVP was not correlated with the parameters currently used to quantify carotid atheroma. IVP was more sensible than the stenosis degree to detect the changes in carotid atheroma. EDC performed in all patients with an SCA could not be justified. Performed in elderly and diabetic patients, this tool was very useful to detect severe stenosis with an impact on patients’s management. Asymptomatic Carotid narrowing between was found to have a prognostic value. Conclusion: EDC is an interesting tool to understand the RCV. Its better use (quantitative and qualitative) should allow to reduce the CV morbid mortality.

Résumé : L’imagerie testiculaire développée dans notre unité a deux thématiques principales : l’infertilité et la caractérisation tumorale. Cette imagerie est basée sur l’échographie et l’IRM multiparamétriques. Nous avons défini des critères diagnostiques pour différentes pathologies, ayant un impact sur la prise en charge des patients, et évalué des modalités innovantes.Nous avons caractérisé l’aspect des testicules de patients infertiles porteurs d’un syndrome de Klinefelter. Nous avons déterminé l’aspect en Mode B et en Doppler couleur des tumeurs à cellules de Leydig dont la plupart sont actuellement découvertes de façon fortuite et peuvent bénéficier d’une surveillance ou d’une tumorectomie. Nous avons défini les critères diagnostiques des tumeurs éteintes ou «burned out tumors» découvertes en écho-Doppler chez des patients adressés pour bilan d’infertilité.Nous avons montré la capacité de l’IRM multiparamétrique à améliorer la caractérisation tumorale, par l’analyse qualitative et quantitative du rehaussement et par la valeur du coefficient de diffusion (ADC).L’échographie de contraste a montré des différences significatives entre les tumeurs éteintes et les autres lésions.L’élastographie par onde de cisaillement a montré des différences de dureté entre les testicules des patients infertiles par mécanisme obstructif et non obstructif mais le chevauchement des valeurs minimise l’impact clinique potentiel. Les tumeurs bénignes à cellules de Leydig étaient plus molles que les tumeurs malignes et les tumeurs éteintes. Le couplage des informations données par le mode B, le Doppler couleur, et l’élastographie ont permis une caractérisation optimale.Le Doppler ultrasensible a permis une analyse qualitative de l’architecture vasculaire des tumeurs, de la vascularisation testiculaire dans les urgences scrotales et une quantification de la vascularisation testiculaire. Nous avons objectivé une diminution de la vascularisation testiculaire pendant la manœuvre de Valsalva chez les patients avec varicocèle, ce qui représente une explication physiopathologique à l’infertilité par mécanisme hypoxique. / The testicular imaging we developped in our department focused on two main subjects: infertility and tumoral characterization. It is based on multiparametric ultrasound and MRI. We defined diagnostic criteria of several pathologies, which may change the patient’s management, and we evaluated new modalities.We characterized Klinefelter patient’s testis.We determined the Color-Doppler features of Leydig cell tumors which are currently incidentally discovered and can benefit from monitoring or tumorectomy.We defined multiparametric US and MRI diagnostic’s criteria of burned out tumors in patients referred for US infertility screening.We demonstrated the ability of multiparametric MRI to improve the tumoral characterization using qualitative and quantitative enhancement parameters and apparent diffusion coefficient values.CEUS showed significant differences between the burned out tumors and other lesions.. Shear Wave Elastography (SWE) showed significant differences in testicular stiffness between normal, obstructive azoospermia on one side and non-obstructive azoospermic patients, but overlapped values seemed to minimize the potential clinical impact. Benign Leydig cell were softer compared to malignant tumors and burned out tumors. Association of B mode, color Doppler, and elastography allowed an optimal characterization.Ultrasensitive Doppler allowed a qualitative evaluation of the tumoral vascular architecture, a testicular vascularization assessment in case of acute scrotum, and a testicular perfusion quantification. We demonstrated a decreased testicular vascularization during the Valsalva maneuver confirming the hypoxic physiopathological explanation of the infertility process.